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Batman
Batman is the superhero protector of Gotham City, a man dressed like a bat who fights against evil and strikes terror into the hearts of criminals everywhere. In his secret identity he is Bruce Wayne, billionaire industrialist and notorious playboy. Although he has no superhuman powers, he is one of the world's most intellegent people and greatest fighters. His physical prowess and technical ingenuity make him an incredibly dangerous opponent. He is also a founding member of the Justice League and the Outsiders. Origins Early Life As a young child, Bruce Wayne watched his parents murdered before his eyes. Thomas and Martha Wayne were walking home from the Monarch Theatre one night with their son, when they were held up at gunpoint by a mugger who demanded the pearl necklace that Martha was wearing. When Dr. Wayne refused to surrender it, both he and Martha were shot dead in the streets. The killer was a criminal known as Joe Chill. Fortunately, physician and social worker Leslie Thompkins was making a house call that night, and arrived to give loving comfort to the traumatized Bruce. He was then raised on the Wayne Manor estate, with help from the wise and loyal butler, Alfred Pennyworth. Bruce had very few friends during his childhood. Training Bruce Wayne swore an oath to rid the city of the evil that had taken his parents' lives. He spent his youth travelling the world, training himself to intellectual and physical perfection and learning a variety of crime-fighting skills, including chemistry, criminology, forensics, martial arts, gymnastics, disguise, and escape artistry. At age 14, Bruce Wayne began his global sojourn, attending courses at Cambridge, the Sorbonne, and other European universities. However, he never stayed long and would often drop out after one semester. Beyond academia, Wayne successfully acquired various "practical" skills. While abroad, he studied and received training in multiple martial arts under various instructors and in different countries, man-hunting under Frenchman Henri Ducard, stealth and reconnaissance under the Japanese ninja Kirigi and other certified shinobi, hunting under the African Bushman (the Ghost Tribes of the Ten-Eyed Brotherhood, among others), traditional healing disciplines under Nepalese monks and even ventriloquism under skilled practitioners. His knowledge of so many varied disciplines has made Wayne an unconventional and unpredictable individual. At age 20, he attempted to join the FBI, but after learning about its regulations and conduct, Wayne deducted that he would never be able to completely oppose crime while working within the legal system. Batman Begins Bruce Wayne returned to Gotham City after many years of study and training with his body and mind developed to perfection. Despite having all of the skills and methods to fight crime, he felt that he was still something missing to complete his physical and psychological arsenal. Wayne discovered the answer late one night while sitting in his manor. He recalled his fear of bats as a child after a large one crashed through one of the windows; he ultimately decided to make his appearance resemble a bat's. Wayne designed himself a costume equipped with experimental technology and set out against the crime and corruption that thrived in Gotham City. Wayne's tactics to oppose crime as a vigilante at night proved successful leading him to become an urban legend in Gotham City. He would reveal himself at a dinner of the most influential and corrupt figures in Gotham City promising them all that their reigns on the city would eventually end. Wayne's first ally is assistant district attorney Harvey Dent. Most of the Gotham City Police Department is sent in force to capture him. He gained his most powerful ally when he met police officer James Gordon, one of the few honest cops on the force. The two developed a working relationship operating outside of the law when they needed to. Rogues Gallery Batman's presence in Gotham City generated a new breed of criminals, no longer the simple thugs and gangsters involved in Gotham Organized Crime, but more dynamic personalities. The first person inspired by him was Catwoman, a dangerous seductress using his style and methods towards her own ends. His next challenge was Dr. Hugo Strange, a mad scientist who had created Monster Men to do his bidding. He met his greatest nemesis when the Joker first appeared, a brilliant serial killer dressing like a clown and murdering people uncontrollably. He had been exposed to chemicals in an accident that drove him completely insane, and he swore revenge on Gotham for creating him. This confrontation led to the creation of the Bat-Signal, a giant spotlight displayed in the sky whenever there is danger and Batman is needed. There would be many more villains starting to appear within this time. The Scarecrow was an outcast who developed techniques to strike terror into the hearts of his victims for his own pleasure. The Riddler was another deranged genius who felt a psychological compulsion to demonstrate his intellectual superiority, and constructed elaborate crimes while delivering clues daring law enforcement to catch him. Poison Ivy attempted to destroy the city when an advanced connection to plant-life led her to wage a personal war against humanity. The psychotic Mister Freeze used dangerous experimental technology to take revenge against society when his wife died. Another crime boss appeared named the Penguin who acted as an eccentric criminal mastermind without any crippling mental illness other than a desire to prove himself. Many of these villains were kept in Arkham Asylum for the criminally insane. The Long Halloween Batman and his trusted allies James Gordon and Harvey Dent met up on the rooftop of police headquarters one night, and they swore that they would bring down the organized crime syndicates led by Carmine "The Roman" Falcone and Sal Maroni that were completely controlling their town. Although it was necessary to bend the rules in their efforts, they agreed that they would never break them, and become as bad as the evil they fought against. Meanwhile a serial killer named Holiday began stalking prominent Mafiosos and shooting them dead. There was suspicion immediately cast on the three men in the triumvirate, and the possibility that it might be someone trying to remove their competition. Gotham's new breed of criminals was replacing the traditional gangsters, and the underground was slowly being taken over by costumed freaks with no respect for the old ways. Batman's presence is arguably the cause of this. Amongst the killings Falcone's son Alberto was murdered. Bruce Wayne went on his first date with Selina Kyle around this time, who flirted with him as Catwoman by night unaware of his alter-ego. In his desperation, the Roman changed the game by employing super-villains in his activities. Falcone and Maroni each believed the other was responsible for Holiday, and their gang wars tore Gotham apart. Harvey Dent became a leading suspect because of his vindictive attitude towards criminals. Bruce Wayne was also suspected of involvement with the Roman's organization and arrested. His father Thomas Wayne had reluctantly performed emergency surgery on a young Carmine Falcone for bullet wounds and indebted him... making him indirectly responsible for the Roman's empire. Bruce's trial proved his innocence thanks to the testimony of Alfred Pennyworth. Dent later admitted this was a mistake, and Maroni brought himself into custody with the intention of spilling his secrets before he was killed. At the trial, Maroni smuggled in a bottle of acid and threw it at Dent's face during the prosecution, leaving him horribly disfigured. This also drove him insane, and he killed a doctor escaping from the hospital. They arrive at the conclusion that Harvey Dent was Holiday, and Batman attempts to find him after he escapes. While Gordon is transporting the gangster to a different cell, Holiday appears and shoots Sal Maroni in the head, finally revealing his real identity... Alberto Falcone, having faked his own death Batman is disguised as the guard accompanying them, and he beats Holiday down before taking him into custody. Harvey Dent reappears calling himself Two-Face after the nature of his personal tragedy, taking a team of villains into the Roman's private office. As the two leaders battle, Batman arrives and puts most of the criminals down, but he is unable to stop Two-Face from shooting Carmine Falcone twice in the head. The three men, Batman, Gordon and Dent, have a final meeting on the rooftop of police headquarters. Dent is accused of betraying the things he believed in, but he insists that his methods were the only ones that actually got rid of the Roman and he did what he needed to. He's then arrested, and although Batman and Gordon have seen one of the best men they knew completely broken, they still maintain that Gotham City can be saved and ridden of evil. Neither of them is willing to give up. Justice League Origins There are several stories of the first time Batman met Superman, the greatest of his friends and allies. In the first version, Superman came to Gotham viewing Batman as a dangerous criminal and attempted to arrest him for his vigilante tactics. They were forced to work together tracking down the dangerous psychopath Magpie, and Superman realized that although his own style of crime-fighting was suitable for his environment, the Bat-Man did what he needed to do to protect his city. They both gained respect for each other, although they doubted they would ever work together again. In another version, they both met as Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent while they were forced to share a room on a cruise ship. They are made aware of each other's secret identities when both are called upon to fight threats including Deathstroke and the Crime Syndicate. Superman later introduced him to Wonder Woman when they teamed up against Ra's al Ghul and Bizarro, and she disliked Batman at first for his methods. She later gained respect for him after they fought together as a team for the first time. There was a great team-up between many heroes to fight the alien Appellaxian invaders, including these three along with Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter. Eventually they would decide that they could better protect the planet if they permanently joined forces... and they became the Justice League of America. Following the events of Flashpoint in the new DCnU timeline, Batman is shown to meet Green Lantern and Superman in the same night while hunting down Parademons. Robin Bruce Wayne was on an excursion to the circus when he witnessed another tragedy that would shape his life. The parents of a young acrobat named Dick Grayson were murdered by the gangster Tony Zucco. He saw both great potential and something of himself in the boy that night. Although Bruce knew he could never replace Dick's father, he adopted Grayson as his legal ward to help him and provide guidance where he didn't have any when he was that age. He eventually revealed his secret identity as Batman. Dick wanted justice for his parents, and he agreed to a regiment of rigorous physical and mental training so that he could become Batman's partner. After several months Dick was finally ready to take to the streets as Robin, fighting crime alongside his mentor. They swore an oath late one night that they would fight together against crime and corruption, never swerving from the path of righteousness. Batman had realized for the first time that he did not have to be alone in his crusade. Before he could go into action regularly, Robin had to pass a final exam and he proved himself by taking down the gangster Joe Minette. Their first adventures as a dynamic duo were a remarkable change in tone, with Robin's lightheartedness alleviating the grim seriousness. Dick's first solo mission was stopping Mad Hatter in a sex trafficking ring while Bruce was indisposed. Everything changed when Robin was targeted by Two-Face. A double-gallows trap caused Robin to inadvertently cause the death of an innocent man, after which Two-Face beat him within an inch of his life using a baseball bat and made Batman watch. Batman refused to let Robin go out with him anymore after the boy recovered because he didn't want to put him in further danger. Dick had to prove again that he really wanted this life, demonstrating his competence and resolve. Robin began teaming up with other young heroes and sidekicks, starting with a fight against Mr. Twister where he worked alongside Aqualad and Kid Flash. Speedy and Wonder Girl joined them to fight an evil being named Antithesis who was mind controlling their mentors. This group decided to call themselves the Teen Titans and would go on to a long career with Robin as one of their core members. Dick eventually left Gotham completely to attend college at Hudson University. Batgirl When Bruce is invited to the Million Dollar Masquerade Ball, Commissioner Gordon's daughter, Barbara crashes the party in a female version of Batman's costume to surprise her father, who is also attending the event. At the party, before she reveals herself to Gordon, Killer Moth and his henchmen crash the party, gunning for Bruce Wayne. James Gordon is taken out quickly so Barbara decides to step in. Bruce Wayne was previously shoved out of the way by Barbara so that she can protect him and her unconscious adoptive father, thinking that Bruce is but a helpless bystander. She defeats Killer Moth, breaking a heel in the process. She was later named Batgirl by Killer Moth, which stuck, even though she states that she would have preferred Batwoman. Directly after the confrontation by Killer Moth, Batgirl meets Batman and Robin. Batgirl's first encounter with Batman and Robin proves to be unpleasant. While she is angry with Batman's automatic dismissal of her capabilities, she is repulsed by Robin having a romantic interest in her. Soon after that, Batgirl attempts to swing from rooftops, being saved by Robin, who tells her that regular rope is not good for diving from forty feet in the air. Later, Robin sends Batgirl equipment, pretending that he believes in her and Batman doesn't. In reality, Robin is sending them on the orders of Batman. She is later captured by Batman and Robin to be tested, an examination she failed in Batman's eyes, not being able to save the innocents in a holographic containment chamber. Batgirl later teams up with Black Canary, her idol, and she finally gains some respect from Batman, while Robin still harbors a small crush on her. She is introduced to James Gordon as Batgirl, one of Batman's protégés. Ra's al Ghul Struggling against the League of Assassins, Batman meets the beautiful Talia al Ghul when he rescues her from Doctor Darrk. Ra's al Ghul determines his secret identity through logical deduction and confronts him when Talia has been kidnapped again alongside Robin. Realizing that Ra's was behind this as a personal test, Batman confronted him and fought his bodyguard Ubu. Ra's explains that he was making sure he had found a worthy successor in the detective, as Talia has fallen in love with him. Batman eventually comes to the conclusion that Ra's is a dangerous criminal who must be stopped at all costs, and declares war on him. Outsiders Batman quits the League when they refuse to help him rescue Lucius Fox from Baron Bedlam in Markovia for political reasons. Determining that he needed a new team more concerned with justice than the way they were viewed by the world, he quit the League and created the Outsiders as a black ops super-team to go where they couldn't. This team involves Black Lightning, Geo-Force, Halo, Katana and Metamorpho. Nightwing Dick Grayson was leader of the New Teen Titans when he decided to give up his identity as Robin because he was growing into a young man and wasn't a child any longer. This was in addition to an incident where Bruce had fired him as his partner after Robin was shot off a rooftop by the Joker. While he was doing some soul-searching, he met and talked with Superman who inspired him with a story about a Kryptonian vigilante named Nightwing. He reinvented himself using this new name and designing a new Nightwing costume, intending to honor all of the people who had shaped him into the man he had become. Jason Todd Some weeks after firing Dick and him becoming Nightwing, it's the anniversary of Bruce's parent's death. He makes his annual visit to Crime Alley to pay his respects. The alley is remarkably quiet – it seems word of this regular visit has got around the criminal fraternity. Despite this, Batman discovers that a young kid named Jason Todd has stolen the tires from the Batmobile. Retrieving his property, Batman is persuaded not to hand Todd over to the police or social services. Instead, Jason is taken to Fay Gunn's School For Boys where, once Batman has left, he meets a hostile reception. Jason Todd, arriving at Fay Gunn's School For Boys, discovers that it is a front for a school of crime. Batman, of course, believes it to be a fine, upstanding institution, as does Vicki Vale, one of numerous reporters to have taken an interest in the school. Both as Batman and Bruce Wayne, he also uses his contacts to track down Jason's parents. It seems that his mother, Catherine, died of a drug overdose recently, while his father is believed to have been killed by Two-Face. Willis Todd evidently discovered too late that this was one boss you should never double-cross. That night, Batman comes across Jason once more removing the tires from parked cars, and is amazed to hear the young man's tale of the even more worrying curriculum of the school. He then soon interrupts Ma Gunn and her boys at an art museum and, with the unexpected help of Jason Todd, prevents them from stealing the 'Smile of Death' necklace for the Joker. Impressed with Jason, Batman decides to take the boy on as the new Robin. Justice League International Legends sees a new group of heroes form to fight against G. Gordon Godfrey after Justice League Detroit was disbanded, and they decide to form a new League together. Batman gathers Black Canary, Blue Beetle, Captain Marvel, Doctor Fate, Doctor Light, Guy Gardner, Martian Manhunter and Mister Miracle in the Secret Sanctuary to take leadership of them as a team. Maxwell Lord convinces the United Nations to grant them an international charter and they become Justice League International. The Killing Joke The Joker kidnaps Gordon, shoots and paralyzes his daughter Barbara, and imprisons him in a run-down amusement park. His henchmen then strip Gordon naked and cage him in the park's freak show. He chains Gordon to one of the park's rides and cruelly forces him to view giant pictures of his wounded daughter in various states of undress. Once Gordon completes the maddening gauntlet, the Joker ridicules him as an example of "the average man," a naive weakling doomed to insanity. Batman arrives to save Gordon, and the Joker retreats into the funhouse. Gordon's sanity is intact despite the ordeal and he insists that Batman capture the Joker "by the book" in order to "show him that our way works." Batman enters the funhouse and faces the Harlequin of Hate's traps while the Joker tries to persuade his old foe that the world is inherently insane and thus not worth fighting for. Eventually, Batman tracks down the Joker and subdues him. Batman then attempts to reach out to him to give up crime and put a stop to their years-long war. The Joker declines, however, ruefully saying "It's too late for that... far too late." He then tells Batman a joke that was started earlier in the comic. The joke is funny enough to make the normally stone-faced Batman laugh. While they are laughing, Batman reaches across to the Joker who escapes. A Death in the Family Batman begins having problems with Robin's attitude, when the boy gets increasingly violent and careless during their crimefighting. The boy is still grieving over the deaths of his parents Catherine and Willis Todd, and Bruce takes him off active duty until he can keep himself in check. Jason learns through old records that the mother he knew was actually his step-mother, and his estranged birth-mother is still alive. Robin visits the middle east to track down his remaining parent and Batman comes along attempting to hunt down the recently escaped Joker. Searching across several countries eventually leads them to a doctor named Sheila Haywood, and Jason is reunited with her at last. They learn that Joker is actually blackmailing the woman over an operation she botched several years ago, and is planning to steal the area's medical supplies and replace them with lethal laughing gas. Jason is betrayed by his mother when he tries to rescue her, and the Joker beats him within an inch of his life using a crowbar. The two of them are tied up in a warehouse set with a time bomb... and it explodes before they can escape. Batman arrives moments too late, and finds to his horror that both of them were killed in the explosion. Bruce feels responsible for the death of his young partner, having endangered him by bringing him into this lifestyle. There is a funeral held back in Gotham, but it must be kept quiet so that people don't link him to his secret identity. Batman is determined to take retribution against the Joker, because this time he has gone completely too far and his insanity can no longer be used as an excuse. Superman arrives to prevent him from doing anything he's going to regret, and Batman is so angry that he punches him in the face. They discover that while he was overseas, Joker was actually offered a position as the United Nations ambassador for Iran and now has complete diplomatic immunity. Batman is intent on having their final confrontation, and putting an end to his nemesis once and for all... he comes to see the villain's first political speech. Naturally, this is part of a plot to murder every single delegate with poisonous gas. Batman and Superman stop the massacre together, and Batman chases the Joker to his helicopter where they struggle in the air. The vehicle begins to crash, and Batman is barely able to dive out and save himself before the entire thing explodes. Joker's body is nowhere to be found, and Batman remarks angrily that this is the same way every conflict they have ends... unresolved. Tim Drake Following the death of Jason Todd, Batman becomes much more violent and aggressive while coping with the tragedy without someone to balance him out. A young man named Tim Drake figures out his secret identity using detective work, and determines that he needs a Robin to keep his darkness in check. Two-Face reappears with new plans to kill the dark knight. Drake begs Dick Grayson to go back as Robin again when he's needed most. Explaining how he deduced their identities by following Grayson's acrobatic career to Dick and Alfred Pennyworth, Tim is taken into the Batcave where it is suggested that he become the new Robin. Batman and Nightwing track down Two-Face, and he catches them in his underground death-trap. Tim takes the Robin costume to rescue them and succeeds, although Batman argues that he no longer needs a side-kick. Begrudgingly as he proves himself and helps them defeat Two-Face, Bruce agrees to start training Tim Drake and take him on as his new crime-fighting partner. Bruce Wayne: Fugitive Bruce Wayne and his bodyguard Sasha Bordeaux are framed for the murder of Vesper Fairchild. There is a trial and they are unable to defend themselves without revealing their secret identities. Escaping from custody, he determines that he will become Batman permanently and Bruce Wayne will disappear completely. Eventually he realizes that he was wrong to think he didn't benefit from the companies of his allies, and they prove his innocence by determining that the man who framed him was David Cain. Hush Bruce Wayne realized that he was in the center of a malevolent shadow conspiracy targeting his life one night when his batline was cut in mid-air by a thrown batarang and he barely survived the descent from the rooftops. Tommy Elliot, his out-of-touch closest childhood friend who had grown into a skilled surgeon, repaired the damage and saved his life. Soon afterward, the tires on the Batmobile were shot out by a sniper during a mission that led to a dangerous crash. At the same time he became romantically involved with the reformed Catwoman after saving her life from Killer Croc. They shared a passionate kiss together and gave into the feelings they had both been experiencing for years. Having begun to open up emotionally again, he reopened ties with his old friend Tommy and began working more closely with Catwoman in the field as a partner, teaming up with her to fight Poison Ivy. Ivy mind-controlled Superman and the two were forced to fight against the most powerful being on the planet... Batman was able to combat Superman's brute force by using superior tactics and his Green Kryptonite Ring. Catwoman kidnapped Lois Lane and put her in mortal danger so Superman would be forced to break the hold and rescue her. After they caught Ivy by having Krypto track her down, Clark felt reassured that he had given the one weapon that could hurt him to the right person. During an excursion to the opera that was interrupted by Harley Quinn staging a robbery, Tommy Elliot appeared to be shot in the heart and killed by the Joker. This drove Batman into a furious rage, and in his grief-stricken state he intended to beat the villain to death as he should have done many years before to prevent so much senseless tragedy, stopped only by Commissioner Gordon until his senses returned. Harvey Dent reappeared in Gotham no longer insane having gone through surgery to fix his face, and wanting to return to his former position as district attorney. Bruce took advice from Nightwing that if he was truly going to pursue a meaningful relationship with Selina he would need to open up to her, and to her surprise he made the decision to reveal his secret identity. Further investigation led him to suspect Ra's al Ghul might have answers about the unseen hand coordinating recent events, so Batman abducted his daughter Talia al Ghul and held her hostage. Besting Ra's in a sword-fight only allowed him to learn that there had been recent unauthorized access to the Lazarus Pits and the League of Assassins was desperate to kill whoever was responsible. Catwoman was almost killed by Lady Shiva trying to stop her from rescuing Talia, but Batman acknowledged that the love he felt for Selina made it worth being emotionally vulnerable about her. A fight against Scarecrow led him to Gotham Cemetery where the mysterious man finally revealed himself to be Jason Todd, a grown adult and apparently back from the dead, furious that Bruce had let him die. After lengthy physical combat he realized he had been tricked by Clayface. Consultation with Oracle on surveillance equipment found in the Batcave revealed that he had been betrayed by his former employee, mechanical genius Harold Allnut. When he set up a meeting with Harold the man broke down in tears over the treachery, because he had been given happiness and expensive surgery that repaired his voice and freakish looks making him finally normal. At that moment, two shots rang out and Harold was murdered. The mysterious villain finally revealed himself as Hush, Bruce's friend Tommy who had faked his death using Clayface and masterminded this elaborate scheme to take revenge on the Wayne Family in a personal vendetta. Hush would have killed Batman if not for the intervention of Gordon at the behest of Dent, formerly a co-conspirator, who betrayed Hush now that he had gone sane again. Tommy Elliot fell into the harbor and escaped before they capture him. Batman realized that there must have been another mind pulling strings, and deduced that the Riddler had been working with Hush and manipulating the other villains the entire time. Riddler was the one who had broken into the Lazarus Pits to cure his cancer, and in the ensuing fit of madness figured out that Batman was Bruce Wayne. But a riddle that everyone knows the answer to is worthless, so his psychosis would not allow him to tell anyone else about it. Afterwards Batman also ended his romantic affair with Catwoman, realizing that he couldn't allow anyone to get that close to him in his line of work, but hoped that someday in the future he would be able to. War Games Tim Drake is forced to give up his career as Robin when his father Jack Drake discovers his identity. Stephanie Brown, formerly Spoiler, seeks out the position and Batman agrees to take her on as his new Robin. She is fired for disobeying his orders during a fight with Scarab. Trying to impress Batman, Spoiler activates one of his contingency plans to unite the entire Gotham underworld under Matches Malone, not realizing it's one of Bruce's other identities. The meeting between the big bosses turns bad and there's a shootout, creating a massive power vacuum in the city. Black Mask ends up taking control of organized crime throughout the entire city. Under the Hood Jason Todd is resurrected as an amnesiac and crawls out of his own grave, eventually taken in by Talia al Ghul who restores his personality through a Lazarus Pit. Distraught to find that Batman had not cared enough to avenge his death against the Joker, he takes on the identity of Red Hood as his own man. This resurrection is explained as a result of Superboy-Prime punching the walls of reality during Infinite Crisis. Red Hood begins terrorizing the Gotham underworld to enlist Black Mask's soldiers into his own organization, allowing the drug trade to continue under his control with stricter restrictions. Batman and Nightwing meet him for the first time when he blows up a shipment of weapons on a boat they had taken down, chasing him until he releases a stolen Amazo prototype to fight them. Together they improvise and destroy the android by taking out his individual components, while Red Hood uses the distraction to steal another shipment containing several hundred pounds of Kryptonite. Mister Freeze is sent to reclaim the merchandise and all four of them fight it out until the Hood leaves, saying this had been a ploy to get his lay of the land. Batman begins investigating the possibility that he is Jason in disguise, talking to his friends with knowledge of resurrection including Green Arrow, Jason Blood and Zatanna. Superman helps him confirm that it realistically could have happened. Red Hood teams up with Onyx, although he betrays her when she tries to stop the murder of several criminals. During a climactic fight between the two men, Jason reveals himself to Bruce and explains his intention to change the face of crime-fighting. To prevent hundreds of unnecessary tragedies, he will bring death to those who deserve it. Alfred asks if the old Robin costume should be removed from the Batcave, but Bruce insists that this doesn't change anything at all. Red Hood destroys Black Mask's skyscraper headquarters with rockets, and Deathstroke appears to offer his Secret Society of Super-Villains' services. Captain Nazi, Count Vertigo and Hyena are the hit squad sent to kill him, and Batman is deeply conflicted over whether or not he should save his former student. Bruce and Jason to team up to defeat the three villains, but when they're done Jason murders Captain Nazi and escapes. Batman learns that Red Hood has captured the Joker and is holding him hostage, while Black Mask finally gets into a massive fist-fight with the Hood over territory. Bruce and Jason confront each other in Crime Alley, where they witness another tragedy across the river. Chemo is dropped as a living bomb onto Bludhaven by the Brotherhood of Evil, completely eradicating it. They argue about the philosophy and morality behind the rule against killing, and Jason explains that he never blamed Bruce for failing to save him; he blamed him for letting the Joker live and continue to kill thousands of people. If their positions had been switched, Jason would not have hesitated to avenge him and put the madman down. Holding a final ultimatum, Jason gives Batman a gun and threatens to shoot the Joker unless he is lethally stopped. Having an emotional breakdown at this point, Batman ricochets a batarang off the wall and hits his student in the neck non-fatally to save his enemy. Joker takes this opportunity to grab the gun and shoots the explosives inside the building, detonating a massive explosion. Batman and Son Having virtually eliminated all super-crime in Gotham with the energy from his recent vacation, Bruce goes abroad. Alfred explains that he's become so consumed by Batman he's forgotten how to act as Bruce Wayne, and must relearn. At a charity function in London he meets Jezebel Jet, an intelligent fashion model and ruler of an impoverished African nation whom he falls in love with immediately. The League of Assassins attacks him using a legion of ninjas transformed into Man-Bats by a serum stolen from Kirk Langstrom. Talia al Ghul takes him prisoner and reveals that they had a son together she never told him about, introducing him to Damian Wayne. Bruce must take care of the child and teach him respect while figuring out her plans, as Damian proves to be spoiled and petulant. Raised by the League he is a master martial artist and proves extremely difficult to control, beating up Tim Drake and beheading the Spook to prove he can be Robin. Batman agrees to let Damian fight at his side rather than leave him alone, with the understanding that he will follow their no killing rules and obey orders. Talia is in Gibraltar, and they take the Bat-Rocket to get there before she can follow through with her terrorist attack. This turns out to have been an elaborate ploy to bring them together as a family, in the hopes that Bruce will return to her so they can put an end to all crime by ruling the planet together. Batman refuses, she declares war on him and they both disappear during an explosion. Three Ghosts of Batman Bat-Cop, a strange man dressed as Batman wielding guns, fights the Joker and shoots him in the face before disappearing. Joker believes the real Batman has changed the rules of their game, and is taken to the hospital where he psychologically transforms. Reinventing himself in a much darker and more brutal persona, he becomes an uncompromisingly malevolent creature of hatred. Jezebel Jet pursues a relationship with Bruce, sensing a deep connection between them. Looking into the mysterious disappearance of several prostitutes involving corrupt GCPD officers, Batman finds they are trying to control and cover up a massive Bat-Bane on venom and monster men serum. Reminded of the other twisted impostor, he fights the huge man and is pounded into the pavement. After a nightmare promising that a third ghost from his past will yet haunt him, he recalls the Black Casebook; a diary documenting all of the strange and bizarre adventures from his early career which couldn't be logically explained, including a similar situation. Beating the Bat-Bane in their next fight, Batman is stopped from finding further answers by the corrupt officers and leaves him to be taken into custody. Bat-Devil makes his appearance by storming into GCPD Headquarters demanding the Commissioner when he is woken up as a sleeper agent. Shooting Batman in the chest, he sends him into cardiac arrest and near-death Bruce begins to hallucinate Bat-Mite. Strapped into an operating chair in Bat-Devil's sanctum, he deliriously dreams of his encounters with Joe Chill and having tormented him into committing suicide. This begins flashbacks to his prior experiences with hallucination, including the 30 Days of Thögal and the isolation chamber experiments conducted by Doctor Hurt. The three men are revealed to have been part of an experiment that tried and failed to create another Batman in case of his death; it was conducted by Doctor Hurt, who is said to be the devil himself trying simply to destroy good men and make slaves of others. Batman breaks free of his restraints and attacks Bat-Devil, who escapes as police arrive and Bat-Bane is shot dead. Bruce considers the extreme hypothetical of an ultimate villain targeting his weaknesses through vast conspiracy unseen until it's too late, and wonders if this adversary is showing itself to him. Club of Heroes Many years ago Batman had been part of a club involving super-heroes inspired by his legend from around the world. Knight and Squire from England are legacy heroes after the original Knight's death at the hands of his nemesis. The Musketeer from France accidentally killed an enemy and was sent to prison, then wrote a book about it. Sioux Indian hero Man-of-Bats is a doctor and has a strained relationship with his side-kick and son Raven Red. Wingman from Sweden refuses to admit his origins and claims that he was crime-fighting a year before everyone else. El Gaucho of Argentina has become a greatly-respected hero in his own right. The Ranger from Australia has developed a darker and more violent persona to keep up with the changing face of crime. Legionary from Rome has gotten way past his prime and now lives in his glory days. They are all called together to a reunion at the island mansion of billionaire John Mayhew, although no one greets them. A man appears on video screen wearing Mayhew's severed face, challenging them to solve the mystery of his murder and save their own lives. They are fighting the Black Glove, an organization that places bets on the struggle between good and evil. Legionary is stabbed to death twenty-three times like Caesar by an assailant. Everyone's a suspect as the house turns into a giant death-trap, using methods common to all of their respective villains. Wingman is the next body found burned to death. Ranger is discovered to be Wingman in disguise, having faked his death by switching bodies. Mayhew is still alive and they are revealed to have worked together, taking revenge on Batman for ruining their chance at greatness by dismissing the team. After shooting Wingman in the head, Mayhew dies when the Black Glove punishes him for his failure and blows up the island as everyone else escapes in his plane. Heart of Hush Hush reappears in Gotham to destroy his nemesis before the Black Glove can take his victory, establishing an abandoned hospital as his headquarters and filling it with loyal mental patients. Shooting Doctor Aesop unexpectedly during a fight, he promises Bruce that no other villain will be allowed to harm him. Batman cautions his allies to become paranoid, and Hush sets his plans in motion teaming up with Scarecrow. A young orphan named Colin Wilkes is pumped full of venom and set on rampage to distract attention from the main plot. Hush kidnaps Catwoman and surgically removes her heart, leaving her barely alive on life support. The two men fight at the hospital, and Hush explains that he will shut off Catwoman's heart if attacked again. Then he reveals that he has undergone plastic surgery to look exactly identical to Bruce Wayne. Their fight takes them to the Batcave after Batman secures the heart with Doctor Mid-Nite and Mister Terrific. Hush escapes permanent defeat after an explosion cripples him, although Catwoman uses her resources to hunt down his entire fortune and destroy it, leaving him bankrupt. Bruce tells Selina in her hospital bed that he loves her. Batman R.I.P. During a dinner date where she considers breaking up with him, Jezebel Jet is captured by a terrorist named the Fiend with Nine Eyes and discovers that Bruce is Batman when he rescues her. The Black Glove invites Batman and Jezebel Jet to a dance of death called the Danse Macabre, having clearly discovered his secret identity. Doctor Hurt has organized villains and madmen from across the world including the Joker, Le Bossu and the Club of Villains to finally put an end to Batman. Robin believes that Bruce is slowly starting to lose his grip on reality, although Alfred insists that there is no stronger mind in the world. Hurt announces to his team that they will be creating a work of art in the complete and utter ruination of a noble human spirit; Thomas and Martha Wayne are discredited through slander published in the Gotham Gazette and the Club is sent out to attack his allies. Bruce finally collapses into a mental break-down when he hears the trigger phrase Zur-En-Arrh spoken aloud, and villains storm the Batcave The attack completely destroyed his mind, he's injected with weapons grade crystal meth and street heroin then wakes up as an amnesiac derelict on the streets. A homeless man named Honor Jackson takes him in and gives him a small radio he believes to be the Bat-Radia, although this is a hallucination and Jackson had died of a drug overdose the previous day. Nightwing is captured by Scorpiana and taken to Arkham Asylum where Bossu plans to lobotomize him. Pierrot Lunaire and Swagman go after Robin. Bruce stitches a new costume called the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh with Bat-Mite as a spiritual guide. This is a contingency plan he had prepared in case there was ever a direct attack on his mind, a stream-lined back-up personality that exists as Batman without Bruce Wayne. Taking out criminals across the city at unheard of speed, he defeats King Kraken and interrogates Charlie Caligula. Hurt begins wearing Thomas Wayne's Batman Costume and claims that he is the real Thomas Wayne, having faked his own death years ago. Jeremiah Arkham is beaten and the Black Gloves takes over his asylum. Commissioner Gordon comes to investigate Wayne Manor personally and finds himself caught in one of El Sombrero's death traps. The Black Glove prepares Arkham Asylum while its richest members gather to gamble on whether good or evil will triumph. Batman fights his way inside through henchmen, although he must make the final journey alone as Bat-Mite is his last voice of reason and cannot enter the door. Damian and Talia al Ghul get involved and rescue Gordon. Batman brutally fights the enraged Joker and then unmasks in front of him when he finally saves Jezebel, although she is revealed to have been part of the conspiracy all along. Joker kills a member of the Glove and places his bet on good triumphing over evil. Buried alive in his cowl to be raised from the grave after incurring brain damage, Batman wakes up and breaks out of his coffin and rises through the dirt. The Bat-Radia is activated and it has been converted to send signals instead of receive, putting the asylum into lock-down through the Batcomputer. Nightwing wakes up in time to break his restraints and punch out Bossu seconds before his lobotomy. Robin brings the Club of Heroes in to help clean up the city. Hurt tries to escape in a helicopter driven by Bat-Devil after swearing to continue destroying Batman unless he submits, but Bruce refuses and takes the chopper down with his bare hands. There is a massive explosion over the water, but Batman survives and continues his fight against evil. Final Crisis Batman must solve the murder of a New God when Orion is killed in Metropolis by a Radion Bullet. This is part of a greater plot by Darkseid to control the Multiverse using the Anti-Life Equation during Final Crisis. Libra, prophet of the Religion of Crime, kills Martian Manhunter. At the funeral, he pays his respects by placing a Choco on his departed friend's grave. Investigating the killings, he was taken prisoner by another dark servant Granny Goodness posing as Kraken of the Alpha Lantern Corps. They intend to use Bruce Wayne to create a clone army of Batmen, using his body and mind as the template for perfect soldiers. Simyan and Mokkari hold him in their Evil Factory where they sedate him and slowly drain his character. Recognizing what is happening to him, Batman breaks his psyche out of telepathic restraints and fights back against the system. Making his own mind into a weapon, he uses all of the pain and trauma he's experienced to destroy their machines. Every single memory that Batman has driving his motivations, all of the raw emotional energy, is more stress than anything else can tolerate and the entire complex destroys itself and nearly everything inside. Batman goes to the Command D bunker and challenges Darkseid, the ultimate personification of evil, as the Anti-Life destroys reality around them. Although he made a very solemn vow about firearms, he says that he is making a once-in-a-lifetime exception... and shoots Darkseid in the chest with the Radion Bullet. This is a reversal of the moment when evil struck down his parents in the streets... and this time, Batman stands with his smoking gun pointed at evil himself. The last thing he says is "gotcha." Right before dying, Darkseid blasts Batman with an Omega Sanction that seemingly kills him. Arriving moments too late, Superman recovers Batman's skeletal burnt corpse. Bruce Wayne is shown to have survived the Omega Sanction, and his body has been flung backward thousands of years in time. He is trapped in the Prehistoric Era, where he is present for the death of the first man Anthro, and draws cave paintings of his own insignia. Battle for the Cowl Naturally, following the events of "Final Crisis" that left the Batman Family without their leader, Batman's allies were in disarray, Gotham criminals took advantage of his absence, and the question stood, "Is Batman gone?" Feeling a combination of obligation and hesitation, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake Wayne, Alfred, and Damian Wayne debated as to what the future of the Dark Knight should be, until an estranged Jason Todd turned up as having taken a twisted cowl (which seems reminiscent of Jean-Paul Valley) for himself. Todd decommissioned an arrogant Damian, making Dick, Tim, and Alfred feel an even greater sense of urgency to send the Caped Crusader back on the streets. However, Dick still refused, prompting Tim to hijack an old Batsuit himself and seek out Jason and his twisted Batcave. Jason managed to defeat Tim and severely injure him, leaving only Dick and Jason as the heir to the cowl. As Alfred provided medical care for Damian and Tim was barely escaping with his life, Dick and Jason fought long and hard until Jason, vowing that he would see Dick "much sooner than you think," plummeted off of a moving train into the depths of the river below. The conclusion of this struggle found Dick accepting his role as the new Batman, with the darkest Robin yet, Damian, by his side. Tim, however, is far away from Gotham, believing that Bruce is not actually dead. He has taken the mantle of the Red Robin, and is currently exploring the globe for clues as to where his adoptive father is. Return of Bruce Wayne Trapped in the past with no memory, Bruce is forced to fight his way through time back to the present day. Darkseid used the Hyper-Adapter monster to aim him like a doomsday weapon through history, picking up Omega Energy until he reaches the modern era and explodes. Rip Hunter and his Time Masters, including Booster Gold, Green Lantern and Superman become a time traveling search party to stop him from ending the world. Starting in the Prehistoric Era, he is given the name Man-of-Bats and defeats Vandal Savage's Blood Tribe in combat. This inspiration drives Anthro's people to call themselves the Bat Tribe. Several hundred years later he became a colonial witch-hunter, using detective work to disprove supernatural explanations for local crimes using the identity of Mordecai Wayne. His name went down in legend as a mythical dragon-slayer when he disappeared while fighting the monster.Bruce is mistaken for the Black Pirate when he washes up on an unfamiliar shore next to the real Jack Valor, and is taken hostage by Blackbeard. They force him to guide them through a cave system to reveal his treasure, but he fights them off with the Pirate's cowl and is assisted by the native Bat-people. Valor is entrusted to write down a mysterious message in a box, and give it to the Wayne family for safe-keeping over the centuries. As a masked avenger in the old west he protects his future family from Monsieur Savage and another ancestor named Thomas Wayne, attempting to steal the box for themselves. This is supposed to bring about the end times through a dark god named Barbatos. Succeeding in his mission, Batman is shot off a bridge by the bounty hunter Jonah Hex. Returning to Gotham shortly after his parents' murder, a friend of his mother named Marsha Lamarr enlists him as a private investigator looking into the shooting. There are accusations made that Thomas Wayne staged the killing to fake his own death. Marsha betrays Bruce to Doctor Hurt's devil-worshiping Black Glove organization who have attempted to destroy his parents' souls through their reputations, and set him on fire as a human sacrifice. Carter Nichols' prototype time machine allows him to escape into the future, to the end of time at Vanishing Point. Bruce regains his memory at the end of time, having worked out his plan to thwart Darkseid's revenge. Memory loss gave the monster nothing to go on, and the clues he planted for himself all along helped him work out how to get through everything. Merging with one of the great Archivists, he briefly gains omniscience and creates a Time Sphere to travel back to his own time. Possessed by the Hyper-Adapter and overwhelmed with dangerous amounts of Omega Radiation, he allows the Justice League to defeat him. They induce clinical death to separate Bruce from the beast and dissipate the radiation, then send it back through time again using the sphere. Experiencing a hallucination in the Fifth World, Batman is confronted by a vision of Darkseid urging him to accept Anti-Life and Metron urging him to defeat the ultimate evil by accepting the first truth of Batman: he has never been alone. Bruce revives after two minutes of clinical death, Red Robin explains that Gotham is in terrible trouble and he suits up to go. Doctor Hurt and Professor Pyg have taken Gotham by siege, fighting Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne. After defeating the 99 Fiends together, Bruce goes after Hurt and the others go after Pyg. Trapping him in his own interrogation room to listen to Alfred's death, Hurt proclaims that he is the devil and Batman will rot in purgatory. Bursting out of the prison, he delivers a final beat-down to Hurt and goes to rescue Pennyworth. The doctor escapes outside where he is defeated by the Joker and buried alive with a giant grin on his face. Having come to a new conclusion about the direction of his fight against crime, Bruce reveals in a press conference that he has been privately financing Batman for years and goes public with Batman Incorporated. Batman Incorporated Batman gathers his closest associates in the Batcave and gives them all new assignments as the start of an army against crime, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Barbara Gordon, Stephanie Brown and Damian Wayne. They will make their battle ideological, fighting the idea of crime with the idea of Batman and making sure there is nowhere for evil to hide. Lucius Fox is commissioned to make a private army of Batman Robots. Bruce tries Damian out and determines that they will not work well together on missions, insisting that he continue his position with Grayson as the Batman and Robin of Gotham City. These actions draw the attentions of the Leviathan organization. His first visit takes him to Japan alongside Catwoman, where he tries to recruit Mr. Unknown and finds him murdered by a villain named Lord Death Man. Jiro Osamu is the hero's successor and avenges his mentor before being sworn in as the first new member. Nightrunner is the next member chosen, a Muslim who becomes the Batman of Paris. Flashpoint In an effort to save his mother from Professor Zoom, Flash unknowingly changes reality, drastically altering the lives of his friends, Batman included. In this new version of history, Bruce had been killed by Joe Chill, causing Thomas Wayne became Batman and Martha Wayne to become the Joker. With the help of Thomas, Flash manages to restore the timestream, but not before Thomas wrote one final letter to Bruce before passing away. After the timeline is restored, Flash gives the letter to Batman, who thanks him for meeting his father. DCnU The DC Universe heavily changed its continuity into the DCnU following the events of Flashpoint in 2011. This was part of an effort to make storylines more accessible to newer readers, beginning with the New 52. This new timeline combines elements from the DCU, Vertigo Universe and Wildstorm Universe while drastically changing the origins and histories of characters. Bruce's involvement with Batman Incorporated extends to helping Batwing set up operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as they investigate Earth Strike's murder. Barbara Gordon finally recovers after spending years in a wheelchair, and takes to the streets as Batgirl again. He has sexually interacted with Catwoman twice, the second time being recently. In recent events, he is once again the only Batman. His revelation of his secret identity to Catwoman has reportedly been erased. He has already been operating in Gotham several years before Superman's Debut to the public. Bruce is also dating news reporter Charlotte Rivers. Night of Owls Bruce has a meeting with mayoral candidate Lincoln March, but they are attacked by a mysterious assassin calling himself the Talon. Although Bruce and March survive the assassination attempt, the Talon escapes, and Bruce notices that he has a connection to the Court of Owls, a secret society that supposedly ruled Gotham City centuries ago. Investigating the Talon, Batman discovers a mysterious room hidden at the Old Wayne Tower, which once served as the Owls' "nest." However, the building explodes with Batman inside. Escaping the explosion, Batman tracks the Talon down to a mysterious labyrinth that contains portraits of Gotham in the Wild West that also details Gotham's history. There, he is greeted by the Court of Owls. For eight days, the Talon tortures Batman, who begins to solve the mystery that is presented to him, he realizes the court is trying to undermine him and his presence in Gotham by "breaking him". Batman comes to a room of caskets, but does not open them, wishing to solve the rest of the mystery first. Suddenly, the Talon impales him. The Talon takes Batman to a room full of members of the Court, who decide to break Batman. The Talon continues attacking him, but Batman refuses to admit defeat, saying that the Talon is just another crook to him. Batman defeats the Talon but decides against killing him; instead, he escapes from the maze, although he loses consciousness. Batman is reawakened by a girl named Harper Row, who he abruptly leaves. Returning to the Batcave, Batman finds the Talon's dead body, which Alfred and Nightwing had retrieved for Batman, who decides to examinate it. Later, Nightwing meets up with Bruce, who reveals that the Talon is actually William Cobb, Nightwing's great-grandfather and that Nightwing was destined to be a Talon, a goal stopped by his adoption. Powers and Abilities Abilities *Indomitable Will: Although he has no superhuman powers, Batman's unstoppable determination and strength of will make him an extremely formidable opponent. This makes him able to function while tolerating massive amounts of physical pain, and also allows him to resist telepathy or mind control. His willpower is strong enough to operate a Green Lantern Ring when necessary. *Intimidation: It is widely known that Batman has the ability to instill fear in others, even the people that know him best are intimidated by him. Even those who aren't afraid of the likes of Superman fear Batman. His ability to inspire great fear made him eligible for induction into the Sinestro Corps, although he was able to fight off the power ring's control. *Interrogation: Batman is adept in interrogation techniques, often using law enforcement methods as well as torture. Several methods seen include hanging a person over the edge of a building by one leg or chaining a person upside down and beating them. He usually just plain uses his frightening appearance to get answers. "Fear is an excellent motivator" he once said. *Peak Human Conditioning: Through intense training, specialized diet, and biofeedback treatments, The Batman represented the pinnacle of human physical prowess. His physical attributes exceeded that of any Olympic level athlete that has ever completed.needed Strength, speed, stamina, agility, reflexes and coordination were at peak human perfection. Batman began his physical and mental conditioning when he was 11 and then intense physical training and weight lifting at age 12. He has mastered full body control by the time he was 18. Bruce Wayne, since the age of 15, has created a strict diet to enable his body to develop and operate at its most proficient, along with biofeedback treatments (using portable/non portable machines to stimulate muscles to contraction). Batman has performed amazing physical feats due to his superior physique. He engaged in an intensive regular regimen of rigorous exercise (including aerobics, weight lifting, gymnastics, and simulated combat) to keep himself in peak condition, and has often defeated opponents whose size, strength, or other powers greatly exceeded his own. He has spent his entire life in pursuit of physical perfection and has attained it through constant intensive training and determination. **Peak Human Strength: Batman regularly bench-presses at least 1000 lbs. during his exercise routine. **Peak Human Reflexes: Bruce's reflexes were honed to such a degree that he has caught one of Green Arrow's arrows in mid flight when he tried to shoot him.needed He has also been able to dodge point blank gunfire. **Peak Human Speed: He could run at speeds comparable to the finest competing athletes. **Peak Human Endurance: His endurance was comparable to that of the finest Olympic Decathlon participant.needed His lung capacity was so great that he could hold his breath underwater for 3 minutes and 15 seconds. He can survive in the airless vacuum of space for exactly 27 seconds. **Peak Human Agility: His agility was greater than that of a Chinese acrobat and an Olympic gold medalist gymnast.needed His main phase of movement was Parkour which he learned in France and used that to scale the cities rooftops in an acrobatic manner.needed **Peak Human Durability: He has been shot numerous times, but wears Kevlar lined body armor. *Master Acrobat: He is proficient in gymnastics and acrobatics. *Master Martial Artist: Wayne is well trained in multiple martial arts. His primary form of combatneeded is an idiosyncratic admixture of Tae Kwon Do, Judo, Muay Thai, Dragon Style Kung Fu, Boxing, Jujitsu, and Ninjitsu.needed Wayne is one of the finest human combatants Earth has ever known. **Weapons Master: Through his martial arts training, he has become an expert on all melee weapons. Wayne has displayed exceptional sword fighting capability and proficiency with knives, sticks and various other weapons. He practices during his combat sessions to keep his skills intact, but he prefers unarmed combat. **Master of Stealth: His Ninjutsu training has made him a master at stealth and capable of breaching high security facilities without being detected. **Expert Marksman: Wayne is an expert marksman skilled. He is skilled with throwing projectile weapons, archery and firearms. He has been practicing such skills since the early days of his training and is almost on par with the Green Arrow in terms of accuracy.needed *Genius-Level Intellect: Batman is a brilliant, virtually peerless, detective, strategist, scientist, tactician, and commander; he is widely regarded as one of the keenest analytical minds on the planet. Given his lack of superpowers, he often uses cunning and planning to outwit his foes, rather than simply "out-fighting" them. **Polymath: He has studied Biology, Technology, Mathematics, Physics, Mythology, Geography, & History.needed Gained degrees in Criminal Science, Forensics, Computer Science, Chemistry and Engineering by the time he was 21.needed He has mastered Diverse Environmental Training, Security Systems, and illusion/sleight of hand by the time he was 23.needed He gained even more degrees in Biology, Physics, Advanced Chemistry, and Technology by the time he was 25.needed He had learned Forensic Sciences, Medical Sciences, Expanded Computer and Engineering Sciences,research? and Expanded Device Pool use of personal powered armor and system, database creation on underworld crime bosses, rogue's gallery foes and other supervillains; improved material sciences for body armor and micro-machinery by the time he was 26.needed Has also learned Advanced New Development in Forensic and Medical Sciences.needed **Master Detective: He is widely considered as the World's Greatest Detective, capable of observation, forensic investigation, and inductive and deductive reasoning of the highest caliber. Human intuition is an unlearnable trait and one of Batman's most effective tools. Given any mystery, he can arrive at the correct conclusions with a fraction of the data.research? **Multi-lingual: He is able to speak Spanish, French, Latin, German, Japanese, English, Russian, Cantonese, Mandarin, Greek, Portuguese, Arabic, Sanskrit, Hindi, Thai and possibly more.needed **Master Tactician and Strategist: He commonly utilizes cunning tactics to outwit his foes. He is an excellent leader and at times commands the Justice League and the Outsiders. **Escapologist: He has been described as second only to Mister Miracle as an escape artist.needed He has been seen escaping from a Posey straitjacket in less than 52 seconds, and remarked afterwards that the time was way too slow for him.needed **Aviation: Has been seen flying the various versions of the Batplanes with ease and flying a helicopter. **Tracking: Trained in hunting techniques by African Bushmen (the Ghost Tribes of the Ten-eyed Brotherhood, among others).needed **Master of Disguise: Has mastered the art of disguise by the time he was 23.needed Has further learned Expanded Disguise techniques by the time he was 26.needed Batman has many aliases he uses to infiltrate the underworld or just to go undercover in public situations. His current aliases are: Matches Malone, Thomas Quigley, Ragman, Detective Hawke, Sir Hemingford Grey, Frank Dixon, Gordon Selkirk, and Mr. Fledermaus.needed **Ventriloquism: Batman is able to project his voice to sound as though it is coming from other places. **Expert Mechanic and Vehicular Driver: Proficient at combat driving. Has learned improved vehicle designs. Was trained and proficient in basic vehicles operations. **Business Management Strength level *Peak Human Strength: Batman engages in an intensive exercise regimen, and because of this, his strength, like all other physical attributes, is at the peak of human perfection. He is shown to be able to bench-press at least 1000 lbs. Paraphernalia Equipment *Batsuit: The costume Batman wears is composed by Kevlar and a little percentage of titanium; it's bullet-proof and resistant to various types of attack (explosions, impacts, falls, etc...). It's also flame-retarding and insulating. The gloves and the boots are reinforced to rebound the impact of punches and kicks. The gloves have also some metallic blades on their sides. The cape is super-light and it can be used to glide. The mask has a little percentage of lead, which shields the face of Batman from x-ray powers or x-ray technology; it has also an infrared viewer and auditory sensors, sonar, night vision,which improve Batman's senses. The mask, is also accessorized with some security systems (aggravating gas, electric blasts, etc.) like the utility belt. The mask is also a transmitter receiver de voice and video. *Utility Belt: Batman keeps most of his personal field equipment in a signature piece of apparel, a yellow utility belt.The utility belt has a button to call the car in a few appearances on Justice League, the belt has a button teleportation. Over the years it has contained items such as plastic explosives, nerve toxins, batarangs, smoke bombs, a fingerprint kit, a cutting tool, a grappling hook gun, and a "re-breather" breathing device. Superman had entrusted Batman with a ring made of kryptonite, to be used should the Man of Steel ever need to be reined in (due to being mind-controlled by a villain, etc.). Transportation *Batboat *Batcycle *Batmobile *Batplane Weapons *Batarangs (several different types), small explosives, smoke and tear gas pellets. Category:Pre-Crisis Founding Members Category:Justice League International members Category:Justice League Detroit members Category:Members without Powers Category:New 52 Founders Category:DC Super Friends Members Category:Big 8 Members Category:Members with Children